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Medical and Dental Care Emergencies

The primary purpose of a patient visit to the dental office is to allow their doctor and/or dental auxiliary to perform a dental treatment that will aid in the improvement of their overall oral health. The primary goal of the doctor is to perform this treatment as effectively and as safely as possible. Patients give little thought to the possibility that some unforeseen medical emergency might arise in the period of time during which they are in the dental office.

Many of the things done by the doctor and staff prior to, and during, the dental treatment are done to minimize the risk of a medical emergency. For example, the medical history questionnaire, recording of blood pressure, and discussion of a patient's health history help to determine what potential risks might be present and enables the doctor to modify the planned dental treatment to minimize the potential risks. In many instances, the use of conscious sedation will be indicated as a means of decreasing stress associated with dental care. This is especially important in persons with cardiovascular diseases (such as high blood pressure or angina) who might be somewhat fearful of visiting the dentist. The use of effective drugs for pain control (such as local anesthetics) is yet another means of minimizing the risk of medical emergencies developing during treatment.

In the unlikely event that a medical emergency does occur while a patient is in the dental office, one should know that (it is highly likely) the doctor has received training in the management of medical emergencies that develop frequently.

Amongst the more commonly observed medical emergencies in dental offices are fainting, seizures, acute asthmatic attacks, allergy, and chest pain (angina).

Virtually all of these emergencies occur as a result of fear and anxiety. Therefore, it becomes very important for the patient to advise their doctor if they are apprehensive about their dental treatment. Steps usually can be taken which will prevent these situations from occurring.

Additionally, in many states it is mandatory for all dentists to be certified in basic life support (CPR) on a regular basis. In many dental offices, additional staff personnel are also trained in this very important technique.

Dental offices maintain an emergency supply of oxygen, as well as commonly used emergency equipment and drugs.

And finally, most dental offices are located in close proximity to their community's Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system (9-1-1). A telephone call activating this system will provide well-trained life-saving medical assistance within a few minutes.

By Stanley F. Malamed, DDS

Dental Fees

Imagine this: a homeowner, to save a few dollars, decides the roof shouldn't be repaired, the broken windows replaced, the leaky pipes fixed. Think that's the best way to protect such a valuable asset? Of course not.

Yet many people put off caring for the most important asset they have - their health - because of economic reasons. Penny wise and pound foolish, wouldn't you agree?

When it comes to payment for treatment, your dentist's office is committed to helping you comfortably manage your treatment and dental costs through a variety of options.

Their first concern is - always - the state of your oral health. They start by evaluating your current and future needs, and then creating an individualized treatment plan. You may be given a detailed description of their recommendations, plus an estimate of the dental fees that may be incurred.

If you're covered by dental insurance, they will map a plan to achieve the most benefits possible from your carrier. For instance, they may plan to have treatment spread over two "insurance years" to take full advantage of your available benefit dollars.

While you are always responsible for your total obligation (even if insurance benefits result in less coverage than anticipated), your dental office is available to work on an individual basis to develop a dental financing program that makes sense.

Remember that your adult teeth are the last natural set you will ever have. Economics should not stand in the way of preserving and protecting them.

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